Overview & Reviews

Swedish-born Volvo has long been a forerunner in safety research, and its vehicles have the crash test scores to prove it. These days, the brand has improved its offerings by crafting vehicles that also offer generous amounts of style and performance.

In Latin, the word "Volvo" means "I roll." Volvo cars have been rolling ever since 1927, when the first vehicle (nicknamed "Jakob") was produced in the city of Gothenburg. The company's founders, Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larsson, put an emphasis on safety, and that dictum still holds true today. The Jakob was joined by the six-cylinder PV651 in 1929, and by 1931, more than 10,000 Volvos had been produced.

Postwar, Volvo unveiled one of its biggest successes, the PV444. By the 1950s, Volvo had begun exporting cars to the U.S., and the PV444 — with its compact size and stylish looks — helped the manufacturer quickly make a name for itself in its new territory. The decade also saw Volvo building on its reputation for being a vanguard in the area of safety; it was the first manufacturer to make vehicles with a three-point safety belt.

The 1960s saw the launch of a new Volvo sports car, the P1800. The car's sculpted good looks helped earn it celebrity status when it was featured on the long-running TV series The Saint, with Roger Moore behind the wheel. Safety features grew more advanced during this decade and Volvo was again at the forefront of the action, offering features such as padded dashboards and energy-resistant crumple zones in front and rear.

Volvo distinguished itself as the exclusive home to a number of valuable new technologies during the 1970s. If you were looking for safety features such as childproof locks, collapsible steering columns and rear-facing child seats during this decade, you'd only find them in a Volvo.

Like BMWs and Saabs, Volvos became an American "yuppie" favorite during the 1980s. The company proved its technological know-how wasn't just limited to safety when it rolled out its first turbocharged car. By the end of the decade, Volvo had unveiled new models like the front-wheel-drive 480 hatchback (for Europe) and the Italian-designed 780 coupe.

In the early '90s, Volvo launched the 850. The car was Volvo's first front-wheel-drive executive car, and teamed performance with the company's trademark attention to safety. The decade also saw Volvo rolling out new models like the S40 and C70 — cars that updated the automaker's boxy image with a more rounded, sculpted aesthetic. The company became part of the Ford family when it was acquired by the automaker in 1998. Ford helped Volvo financially, while Volvo provided Ford with new safety technologies and car platforms. Due to Ford's financial troubles during the American recession, however, Ford sold Volvo to the Chinese automaker Geely in 2010.

It's unknown how Volvo's new owner will guide the brand long term, but chances are Volvo will continue to offer sedans, coupes and SUVs known for their combination of safety and driving excitement.

User Reviews:

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  Happy Driver - 1996 Volvo 850
  By Happy Driver - July 22 - 2:00 am

  This has been an incredible car to drive. Fun, fast and great handling...who would of thought that Volvo could produce a "sporty" car. Two thumbs up for this car, i got an awesome deal...only cost me 8,000. I had someone offer me 12,000 the day after i bought it. Great ride, love it!!!

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  Interior Engine Damage = $3-4,000 - 2005 Volvo S40
  By Floridanita - July 21 - 8:06 am

  I absolutely love my car. Except the air conditioner went out after about 3 years and just now on my way to work, my car just quit. I found out there is interior engine damage and will cost thousands to fix plus the 1,000 to fix the a/c. It is not the cost of the Volvo - it is the maintenance and upkeep - windshield wipers are $80 for example.

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  Love my car... but. - 2008 Volvo V50
  By SueZQ - July 21 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my V50 over 2 years now. No repairs, no problems, some minor issues (buzz in a speaker, vibration here & there) but for the most part, amazing reliability. Tires totally worn at 45,000 miles. Great fuel economy (over 32 mpg on long drives below 70 mph with a/c off). Cargo space limited for a wagon, but fits a lot of stuff. My problem is the seats. No lumbar support, and headrest tilts forward forcing me to push my head forward. Long drives leave me with hip and lower back pain, and now neck pain and headaches. I am having to give up my wonderful car because no amount of padding or support has fixed this. So be very sure the seat supports you fully before you buy.

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  A fun ride, almost a sportscar ! - 2004 Volvo S60
  By Jumpin_George - July 18 - 2:00 am

  I like the power of the 2.5T, but as Edmunds describes you have to deal with turbo lag. It is excellent in the snow and ice, the AWD system combined with a good set of snowtires allows me great control and feeling of security. Nice leather interior, decent sound system, well engineered features and looks great !

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  Its so great! - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By lh - July 14 - 1:06 am

  I cant say enough about this car. It is easy and fun to drive, is very safe, and feels like a sturdy well built car. I chose this car after driving several others in the same price range. This by far seemed like you were getting more "bang for your buck"

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  Update of prior review - 2001 Volvo V40
  By woobie - July 11 - 10:00 am

  Has been in service department four times since it was purchased last year. The last service took over four weeks to complete. The fit and finish is sorely lacking with this car. A/C stinks and trim pieces fade/degrade quickly.

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  Nice car, but........ - 2001 Volvo S60
  By wm - July 7 - 10:00 am

  This is a very nice car; comfortable, nice looking, non-turbo model but still plenty powerful. 3 years old and still rides and feels like a new car. Bought for my wife due to features and safety. Rear vision could be better; my wife has a hard time seeing out the back of the car. One glaring problem: this vehicle eats bulbs. Ive had it less than one year and have gone through 1 headlight bulb, 2 brake light bulbs and about 4 or 5 turn signal bulbs. Thankfully, our local dealer has been excellent and has replaced all bulbs expeditiously (no appointment necessary) and at no cost to me.

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  Sorry but I dont miss Z4 or C230 much - 2006 Volvo XC90
  By z4jjazzman - July 2 - 4:56 pm

  I had two cars b4 this and they were MB C230 and BMW Z4. Believe it or not I dont miss much of those two. They were both great get away cars but neither were comfortable cars. XC90 is just one extremely comfortable car to drive and I looked at Tourag seriously but it was little too small and I just couldnt risk VWs reliability. I had 2002 GTI and was in shop every two weeks and lasted less than 2 yrs. My brother just bought new 2006 Passat.. stopped on next day of purchase.. Rear AC was not working and turns out vent was missing. What a poor built quality. Beware of VW!

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  Great car for my used car budget - 2004 Volvo S40
  By JRGILLESPIE - June 28 - 7:56 pm

  I owned a 94 850 wagon and loved it, then I saw this one for sale at a lot. So far its great. I love the eye catching "Virtual Blue" color. The turbo is great and its got good pick- up. My $11k went far and I know this car will last me just like my last one did. I love the aggressive look of the front end and the rims. My complaints are like most everyone elses...the radio is ridiculous. The knobs to control the presets are just awkward. A "popping" trunk release would have been nice as well. I rated reliability at an 8 but I havent had the car long. I base this on previous Volvo experience.

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  Fantastic car - 1996 Volvo 850
  By I love my Volvo - June 27 - 5:50 am

  We bought our 96 Volvo Wagon in 1998 with 30,000 miles on it. We love this car. It now has 106,000 miles on it and is still running like the day we bought it. It is very comfortable, has decent pickup and handles very well. The ride is nice and controlled. Only weak spots are the brakes tend to warp to easy (you just need to upgrade to a higher quality rotor) and the factory A/C unit will only last a few years before you have to spend $1000 to replace it. The A/C in general is not great, but I have never been in a European car with great A/C.